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Marathon Training – Week 17

Week 17 is done. We are essentially there. Only one more week to go and three short runs to do over the week (3, 4 miles and a 2 mile shakout run) before the big day.

The main plan this week was to follow the schedule, take some time to rest and relax and stay healthy. I will be taking in my usual dosage of Emergen-C in the week leading up to the marathon but this week was focused on the taper. The week called for 5 runs (4, 5, 4, 3 and 8 miles) but as my wife and I ran the Trenton Half Marathon on Saturday I decided to run the 13 miles for the race in place of the 3 and 8 mile runs over the weekend. This allowed me to have an extra couple of rest days leading up to marathon week.

On Friday I did go out around lunchtime and walk a couple of miles around the campus at work to keep loose and to burn off any nervous energy. Taper mode isn’t always easy but I have to say I feel very relaxed going into the marathon this year. My goal is to enjoy it. In 2011 the Phiadelphia Marathon was my first marathon and I was tremendously nervous. In 2012 I put myself under a little pressure with a time goal to beat 4 hours (which I did at 3:59:05). This year I’m running with my wife. It will be her second and my sixth marathon. I want to get through with a smile on my face and both of us feeling good. After all I have the Dopey Challenge coming up 8 short weeks later and want to stay healthy for that.

Weather wise this week it was all over the place. I was in winter gear last week, ran in shorts mid-week and ended up running the half marathon in near freezing temperatures. They are predicting a snow flurry next week but it looks like the temperatures will be similar on race weekend as they were last week. Hopefully as comfortable.

Not much to do this week except try and bank some sleep before the weekend. I’m sure before next weekend I will be getting a little more antsy but this is more with excitement than nervesnous (I hope). My goal is to be writing a great week in review next week and a great race recap.